Maybe a decade ago I had an extended discussion with someone on SI that resulted in her getting so angry with me that she left the thread and didn't post to me for years. The discussion was about toilet paper rolls and whether they end of the paper should come over the top of hang down behind the roll against the wall. I argued over the top. Things came to the head when the discussion came around to cats. We each had cats. We each argued that our way better protected the roll from cats, who dearly love to get at anything that dangles. I think I failed to communicate because I wasn't explicit about my assumption that over the top meant that the end sat atop the roll, adjacent to the roll, so it didn't dangle, whereas, if it was behind the roll, it had to dangle because otherwise you couldn't get at it. But the situation might have been different depending on where the holder was placed on the wall. Or if the user was handicapped. Or whatever. Years ago the Ann Landers column would get on the topic of toilet paper rolls. There is strong feeling on both sides. Once upon a time the Army would have had rules about toilet paper rolls. There was one right way to handle it. The rules would say which way to install it. And where to locate the holder on the wall--near the knees or at sitting eye level or wherever You'd see comedies on TV or in the movies about how ridiculous that was.
I've written lots of policy and designed lots of systems from a headquarters perch and I know how hard it is to account for all possibilities. Over the length of my career and in my management consulting, I've been gratified by how much distribution and delegation and flexibility has happened since those old command and control days. Even the Army gives its troops in the field considerable authority. In the old war movies, the platoon sergeant would have to run a request up the line to a colonel to get authority to do the simplest things and the platoon sometimes died waiting. I'm looking at my browser on my laptop and, having been in IT back in the days of the flashing green cursor, appreciating the myriad options I have to do anything. I can click any one of a number of places, touch the screen, scroll from my touchpad, use keyboard shortcuts, even speak. I can even use my laptop as a paperweight or to swat flies if I want. If my laptop or browser doesn't have enough options, I can buy a different one. Everything is better with local flexibility and control. Designers can't account for everything, people have their own needs. Command and control sucks. And fortunately is no longer widely fashionable.
I don't imagine that you are finding this response satisfying. Sorry. |
